Intensity or lack of

[NZT-One]

All of the players out there are good players. But they aren’t working as a team, with these tactics and formation. As individuals, they are all fine. Maybe Zirkzee is way below standard - but even then in a team you can accept some players who aren’t of the right standard if they are working hard for their teammates.

The notion that we constantly need 5-10 players needs to stop. The unfortunate reality is that both ETH and Amorim have failed to get anywhere near the best of the players available to them - or indeed the hundreds of millions spent on additional players.

Same as the notion that a manager change will somehow unleash them to play better than we have seen them do in years. It is a combination of both at the end of the day, certainly not only on the manager no matter how often some posters want to beat that drum.

 

[Hammondo]

All of the players out there are good players. But they aren’t working as a team, with these tactics and formation. As individuals, they are all fine. Maybe Zirkzee is way below standard - but even then in a team you can accept some players who aren’t of the right standard if they are working hard for their teammates.

The notion that we constantly need 5-10 players needs to stop. The unfortunate reality is that both ETH and Amorim have failed to get anywhere near the best of the players available to them - or indeed the hundreds of millions spent on additional players.

I am not sure that is true, i think we have some big weaknesses that holds us back significantly.

 

[Ali Dia]

I think with a combative midfield that has the legs to dominate then we make much better chances. All our chances are scrappy play as it's an end to end game with us nearly always

 

[goldenboy]

The intensity was more up to the levels required in the PL, even in the first half (don't let conceding from a daft penalty cloud your judgement).

I think the Everton game was to a reasonable degree a case of the players lacking in energy, cohesiveness and reacclimatisation after returning from the international break (as opposed to wider issues this season).

 

[noodlehair]

Intensity, confidence, bravery - would all improve if the players believed in what they are told to do. I’d suggest all of these would increase with a good manager and better ways of setting us up. Set us up to fail - you can’t expect the players to react badly.

This sums it up for me.

Intensity is nothing to do with the quality of the players. It's especially weird to argue that when the same set of players HAS played with good levels of intensity this season.

What you can't expect is players to keep being set up in a way that doesn't work, and yet keep trying to make it work over and over. Eventually the belief will go and the intensity goes with it.

The system isn't the problem it's not having the players to make it work, and part of being a good manager is recognising that.

 

[Poborsky's hair]

Second half was the best we pressed since Arsenal and it shoudl be fecking minimum we press like this every game at least for 60 minutes. If we don't do that we are very predictable, easy to cut through and simply ordinary team.

If we press well we defend better than sitting back and inviting pressure, waiting for the other team to combine, and create chances. We are possibly vulnerable to a big chance, when we are not in sync all as a team, so understandably I see Amorim's worries with Casemiro, Zirkzee and few more who are just a bit slow of the mark to close the gaps faster. However it gives us much better chances in the attacking third as well. Winning the ball high up the pitch will not only help us cut opposition attacks but create much higher quality of chances for ourselves. Not sure why we cannot hire a coach after 15 years of shit pressing. Even Ferguson really sucked at it, hence the lack of European success compared to the potential we had. We dont have Rooney, Van Persie, Scholes or Ferdinand+Vidic to rely on invidiital brilliance, we have to work better as a unit.